At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh well. The battle of the construction regiments.

Morning Air attack on 43rd Construction Regiment, at 80,110 (Boela)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 35 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 40

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:
66 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Don't think they brought enough CAP.

Score two for the FAA (might be a TBF)

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 80,110

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8

Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 7
Hurricane IIc Trop x 13
Beaufighter VIc x 3
TBF-1 Avenger x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Albacore I: 2 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
Beaufighter VIc: 1 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
CA Kumano
BB Ise

Aircraft Attacking:
7 x Albacore I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
2 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

CAP engaged:
Ryujo-1/A with A6M2 Zero (8 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
8 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 10000.
Raid is overhead

[Cap Mandrake]

Marine TBF's strike out

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 80,110

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
Beaufighter Ic x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 23
TBF-1 Avenger x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
10 x TBF-1 Avenger launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 22.4in Mk 13 Torp.

[Cap Mandrake]

RAAF Beauforts score a hit.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 80,110

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 14
Kittyhawk III x 16
P-38G Lightning x 16

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships
DD Uranami
BB Nagato, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
BB Ise

[Cap Mandrake]

This RAAF Beaufort squadron gets separated and is murdered by LRCAP coming down from Ternate.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 81,110

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M3a Zero x 30
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 8

Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 7

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAP Huso Maru

[Cap Mandrake]

Well I'll be damned. The Forts hit something. Nagato is probably slowed considerably

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 80,110

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3
B-17F Fortress x 9

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Ise
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage

Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 8000 feet
Naval Attack: 8 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
9 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 8000 feet *
Naval Attack: 4 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

Not this squadron.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Boela at 80,110

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
BB Ise

[Cap Mandrake]

So we have Nagato and Ise in one group and the CA's in another.

We might be able to send in Wichita tonight.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Boela at 80,110, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Mikuma
CA Kumano
DD Isonami
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Uranami
DD Yugiri
DD Amagiri
DD Sazanami

Allied Ships
PT-76
PT-143
PT-144
PT-157, Shell hits 1
PT-158
PT-160
PT-162

[Cap Mandrake]

Siam: The CL's just don't have the punch for night bombardments

Night Naval bombardment of Tavoy at 54,60

Allied Ships
CL Caradoc
CL De Ruyter
CL Sumatra
DD Warramunga

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 2
Port hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

Air to ground attack at Nakon Watchamcallit

Morning Air attack on 106th RAF Base Force, at 58,61 (Nakhon Ratchasima)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 23
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 26
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 22

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-Ia Helen: 8 damaged

Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
26 x Ki-48-Ib Lily bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 100 kg GP Bomb
22 x Ki-49-Ia Helen bombing from 6000 feet
Ground Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 255th Armoured Brigade ...
Also attacking 106th RAF Base Force ...

[Cap Mandrake]

RAF strikes back North of Ayuthia

Morning Air attack on 13th Garrison Unit , at 57,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft
Fulmar II x 18
Beaufort I x 11
Hudson IIIa x 16
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
306 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

They have no CAP.

Morning Air attack on 13th Garrison Unit , at 57,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim VD x 7

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disable

[Cap Mandrake]

Morning Air attack on 13th Garrison Unit , at 57,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 8

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled[/b]

[Cap Mandrake]

Staff forgot to lower the attack altitude

Afternoon Air attack on 13th Garrison Unit , at 57,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 10

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


and

Afternoon Air attack on 13th Garrison Unit , at 57,60 , near Ayuthia

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 12
Hurricane IIc Trop x 6
B-24D Liberator x 8

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


and

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 12

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
133 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

More as well but you get the idea.

[Cap Mandrake]

China: JJ beating up on our guys out of supply in Southern China. Look away

[Cap Mandrake]

Rabaul: Last damaged ship in harbor sunk. AF shut down.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************Feb. 6, 1943(e)***********

Ceram and New Guinea: JJ stays to drop off more at Boela.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Boela at 80,110, Range 1,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi
DD Matsukaze
DD Oite
AK Sakura Maru, Shell hits 2
AK Kaga Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 6, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Huso Maru, Shell hits 4
xAP Teibi Maru, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
PT-142
PT-159
PT-165
PT-177, Shell hits 1
PT-181, Shell hits 1
PT-183

[Cap Mandrake]

*********Aboard LSD ship Shinshu Maru************

<there is deafening exprosion amdiships>

Afterdeck 40 mm battery crew in unison: OOOH. Rook at arr of pretty corors!

[Cap Mandrake]

USS Trout ventures into shallow Almondine Bay and will not be returning to Darwin.[&o]

ASW attack near Boela at 80,110

Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
DD Hamakaze
DD Kawakaze

Allied Ships
SS Trout, hits 4, heavy damage

[Cap Mandrake]

PT squadron led by Quinton McHale (the AI picked him) causes trouble.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Boela at 80,110, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Kisaragi
DD Yayoi
DD Matsukaze
DD Oite
AK Sakura Maru
AK Kaga Maru
LSD Shinshu Maru, heavy damage
xAP Huso Maru
xAP Teibi Maru

Allied Ships
PT-142
PT-159
PT-165
PT-177
PT-181
PT-183

Allied Ships Reported to be Approaching!
Japanese TF suspends unloading operations and begins to get underway
Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 18,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 18,000 yards
Both TF attempt to withdraw!
Range increases to 18,000 yards...
Both Task Forces evade combat


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Time Surface Combat, near Boela at 79,109, Range 18,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
PB Chitose Maru
PB Edo Maru
AK Johore Maru
AK Kimishima Maru
AK Toei Maru

Allied Ships
PT-142
PT-159
PT-165
PT-177
PT-181
PT-183